SOMERSET COUNTY, Maine — A missing snowmobiler who was separated from his friend during a snowsquall on Moosehead Lake Thursday night was safely located by Maine game wardens Friday morning.
Around 5 p.m. Thursday, Colby Davis, 25, of Fairfield, and his friend were riding separate snowmobiles near Farm Island on Moosehead Lake in Tomhegan Township when they became separated, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife communications director Mark Latti said in a Friday news release.
When Davis didn’t return to camp by 6:30 p.m., his friend called 911.
Latti said game wardens began searching immediately, but could not locate Davis on the lake. Wardens also searched the shoreline and local cabins throughout the night, but still couldn’t find the missing snowmobiler.
The search came to a pause when game wardens found an ATV operator that had broken through the ice in the same area on Moosehead Lake. Latti said game wardens rescued the ATV operator, who was then transported to Dean Hospital.
Continuing their search Friday morning, game wardens were preparing to launch an aircraft to find Davis when they received a call from a local camp owner at around 7 a.m., saying Davis had spent the night at their camp, Latti said.
“It appears that after Davis became separated from his friend in the fading light and snowsquall, he became disoriented and drove on the lake until he struck a pressure ridge, and got his snowmobile stuck. Unable to get his snowmobile out, he walked until he found an occupied camp, where the camp owner took him in for the night," according to the release.
"There was no cell phone reception at the camp, so this morning, the camp owner was able to drive a snowmobile out to where there was cell phone reception and notified the warden service that Davis was with him, and in good condition. The camp was over five miles from where Davis and his friend became separated," according to the release.
Following these two incidents, the Maine Warden Service is reminding everyone that ice conditions on Maine lakes and ponds are variable and, if you do decide to go ice fishing or snowmobiling, always check the ice before venturing out.